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The hacking and sneezing you hear and absences from school and work are clear reminders that it is flu season in Sanders County. And the bad news is, the worst is yet to come.

According to Clark Fork Valley Hospital (CFVH), there have been three hospitalizations, including one death, related to the flu. Lisa Eberhardt, Chief Nursing Office at CFVH, said that the clinics have been quite busy, but that the emergency room hasn’t been inundated with patients showing flu-like symptoms.

“We probably haven’t seen the peak yet for our area,” said Dr. Ron Black, Chief of Staff at CFVH. He said that typically, the flu season lasts from October until April. But Eberhardt said that the flu season started later in Sanders County. She said normally the county sees a surge in late December, but this year it didn’t come until late January and February. With that, she expects the flu season to last later this year.

Karen Morey with Sanders County Public Health said there have been 45 confirmed cases of influenza since December 6, and four of those people were hospitalized. Approximately 700 people have been vaccinated through the health department, and Morey said it’s important for people to know that they can get vaccinated anytime. The health department also has vaccines for people who don’t have health insurance.

Dr. Black also said this year’s flu season is different because it hit every state all at once, where normally there will be outbreaks in certain areas and then it will spread. With that, he said there was a shortage of testing kits when the flu season hit, and that’s the first time he’s seen that happen. Dr. Black said that if staff thinks it might be the flu, they test the patient. He said that the medicine that can be given to flu patients is effective within the first 48 hours, and can decrease the duration and severity of the flu. He said that the flu typically lasts seven days, so if someone waits to be seen by a doctor, the medicine may not be effective.

Dr. Black said they are seeing a lot of people who have flu-like symptoms, and people are typically hospitalized when they have comorbid illnesses, meaning they have another sickness that when they get the flu, makes it that much harder on the person. He said the biggest complications is respiratory issues such as pneumonia.

CFVH staff said the difference between the cold and flu is that with a fever doesn’t normally accompany a cold. And Dr. Black said a lot of people with the flu will come in and say they feel like they’ve been hit by a truck. “It really knocks people down,” he said.

At CFVH, the message is clear: wash your hands. Staff said that stopping the spread of the flu is key, whether you’re sick or not. Eberhardt said it’s also important to isolate yourself if you start having symptoms, and to wipe down surfaces.

Also, CFVH encourages people to get vaccinated. Eberhardt and Black both stressed that the flu vaccine doesn’t mean someone won’t get sick, but it will help decrease the duration and severity of the virus. And getting vaccinated helps stop the spread of the virus. Eberhardt said that across Sanders County, more children and healthy adults are being hit by this strain of the flu. Typically, the flu hits children and elderly the hardest, but medical professionals have seen severe complications in all ages.

Dr. Black said that the flu is different from other viruses, such as the chicken pox, where you get it once and you’re done. The flu outbreak each year is different, because there are different strains of the virus. He said that right now, the flu vaccine for next year is being developed. Researchers look at historical trends and try to predict the next year’s virus, but there are so many variabilities of the virus, making it hard to pinpoint what the flu season will be like. Dr. Black did say that it is impossible to catch the flu from the vaccine. He said that it’s not too late to get vaccinated. He also said that it’s a myth that being out in the cold can make you sick, though he said they do see more patients when there are changes in the weather.

“Generally, just try and be healthy,” Dr. Black said, again stressing the importance of washing your hands and not spreading illnesses.

According to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), statewide there have been 298 hospitalizations, compared with 345 this time last year.